Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club
SOTA Activations and Outdoor Operations
May 22nd
For those interested in SOTA or outdoor portable operations, I am attaching some recent photos of recent operating locations from which I have been working. In addition to SOTA activations, I do some maintenance and custodial work for the Alpine Club of Canada so I have been operating from the ACC back-country huts. The video link below is a short tour of one of the huts I visit frequently which has a short clip of my operation within the hut.
Sota set-up on Allstones Ridge
sota activation in Japan as JJ1TLL
With Troy (VA6TNA) on a SOTA activation of Corkscrew Mountain
Great Cairn Hut, Selkirks.
Elizabeth Parker Hut, Yoho
Fryatt Hut, Jasper
CAARC Participation in 2020 ARRL Field Day
May 21st
Paul VA6MPM has agreed to co-chair distribution of information for CAARC members’ (and any other interested amateur’s) entries in the ARRL Field Day.
We encourage your participation in the 2020 ARRL Field Day on June 27 and 28, and your submission of your individual station score to the ARRL. The 24 hours of on-air operations start at 1800Z June 27. You may operate for any convenient part of that period.
We are going to publish what we hope are bite-sized chunks about participating in Field DayThe official ARRL Classes for one or two participants are (from easiest to hardest), choose one:
- Home station using only one of your own call signs (Class D). Another licenced household member may also use this station equipment with only one of their own call signs for a separate entry. Class D stations may not count contacts made with other Class D stations. Using emergency power for a home station changes your class to Class E and allows you to claim a bonus and also allows contacts with any Field Day Station to be counted.
- Vehicular Mobile (Class C): Stations in vehicles capable of operating while in motion and normally operated in this manner. Normally used by one operator with his own call sign.
- Small group portable (Class B) set up and operated by no more than two persons. This can be your regular equipment set up so as to operate from your back yard, and I believe, your garage if it is not your regular operating position. A variant is Class B – Battery, in which All contacts must be made using an output power of 5 Watts or less and the power source must be something other than commercial mains or motor-driven generator. Set-up must start later than 0000 UTC on the Friday (Thursday afternoon or evening local time) preceding the Field Day period. Set up your station up with an effort of a total of 24 hours or less.
In the QST Field Day results each class is listed in in its own category, so in essence, you will compete with similar stations.
We will make further posts, about:
- Which QSOs can be counted and what you have to record for each QSO,
- Point score for each type of QSO
- Multipliers and bonuses
- Reporting your score
Background, official rules, and many hints can be found at http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Field-Day/2020/2020%20Field%20Day%20Packet(1).pdf .
Comments or questions to Paul VA6MPM (find his email on QRZ.com), or John VA6SJA, va6sja@rac.ca .
John VA6SJA and Paul VA6MPM
Snow birds fly over VE6BLD in Lacombe
May 16th
The Canadian Snow birds flew over Lacombe in support of all the front line covid 19 workers.
Click the video below
Click the following link to watch full video from my YouTube channel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeRi082bclQ
ARISS is live now: ISS Space Chat – Airdrie Space Science Camp 5-15-2020
May 15th
CHECK OUT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION CONTACT WITH STUDENTS IN AIRDRIE ALBERTA
This will be the second test of the new-style radio contact, called Multipoint Telebridge Contact via Amateur Radio. The concept was developed for distance learning when schools closed worldwide due to COVID-19. The virus eliminated all opportunities for ARISS radio contacts at education organizations. A new ARISS telebridge radio ground station will be used this time, this operated by John Sygo, amateur radio call sign ZS6JON, near Johannesburg, South Africa.
Long-Lost U.S. Military Satellite Found By Amateur Radio Operator
Apr 24th
There are more than 2,000 active satellites orbiting Earth. At the end of their useful lives, many will simply burn up as they reenter the atmosphere. But some will continue circling as “zombie” satellites — neither alive nor quite dead.
“Most zombie satellites are satellites that are no longer under human control, or have failed to some degree,” says Scott Tilley.
Tilley, an amateur radio operator living in Canada, has a passion for hunting them down.
Click this link to read the complete story.
Bob VE6BLD
Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club Fathers Day June Picnic
Apr 12th
Please be advised, the Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club Fathers Day June Picnic has been cancelled till 2021 due to Covid-19.
Buy A Book Raffle
Apr 11th
“Buy a Book Raffle”
Please be advised, the Central Alberta Amateur Radio Club Fathers Day June Picnic has been cancelled till 2021 due to Covid-19.
In order to proceed with the club raffle, which was already underway, we wish to appeal to Amateurs all over Alberta to help us continue with the raffle, without losing money, since we would normally sell most of the tickets at the picnic.
This is our “Buy a Book” bail us out offer.
The tickets are in books of 10 tickets @ $5.00 each, so a book is $50.00.
First prize is $500 and second prize is $200 for each ticket. Only 400 tickets available.
You can etransfer $50.00 to ve6cia@gmail.com. Be sure to put your email address and the name you want on the tickets, in the message of your etransfer, as it doesn’t always come automatically.
He will fill out your 10 tickets and email back a scan of them, all filled out, and they will, personally guaranteed, go in the draw. In the unlikely event they are sold out, we will immediately advertise the raffle is closed. Should we receive an etransfer after sellout, your money will be refunded. It will be open otherwise, till Sun. June 14, 2020 and the draw will be Sunday June 21, 2020 as advertised on the ticket. AGLC licence #555551.
The videotaped and publicly posted draw, will be held in the presence of 4-5 CAARC executive members that are 6′ apart (if that still applies by then).
The raffle is open ONLY to all Alberta residents over the age of majority. They need not be licenced radio amateurs.
Swap and Shop/FORUM is now active ( logged in members only)
Apr 6th
I have finished installing and configuring a new Swap and Shop and Forum.
Click on the top right menu FORUM/SWAP AND SHOP (MEMBERS ONLY) and try the new forum.
YOU MUST BE LOGGED IN TO THIS WEB SITE AS A MEMBER TO USE.
Logged in members can now add and see any approved pictures included with your forum post
If you had any previous forum and or swap and shop postings still on your computer you will now be able to re-post them on the new swap and shop or add any new items .
Any new suggestions for forum topics will be considered
Thanks
Bob Web site administrator
CAARC participation in ARRL Field Day 2020
Mar 17th
On a posting on February 23 I had asked anyone interested int CAARC’s participation in ARRL Field Day 2020 to come to the March meeting of the Central Alberta Radio Club to establish an organization.
Because of all the commotion about the COVID-19 virus and because I am part of the vulnerable population, I will not be going to the club meeting.
If the club wishes to proceed with participation in Field Day, providing that it seems wise at that time, I am willing to provide advice and support to the extent that I have time. I do think however, that it is time for a new set of “doers”, including the chairman, etc.
If you can’t go to the meeting and wish to indicate support, I will collect your comments and advice to send to a member of the club executive. It would be best that I compile these comments before the meeting tomorrow evening.
Please you send me any of your thoughts by noon MDT tomorrow, March 18 AT va6sja@rac.ca ..
John VA6SJA
